Missouri National Guard - Company B 2nd Infantry Regiment The Hound Dawgs: “Don’t Kick Our Dog”
On October 8, 1888 The Butler Rifles home guard is organized. This would later become Company B of the state national guard.
Ten
years later, the Spanish-American War was declared after Spain was
unable to peacefully end insurrection in Cuba. The explosion of the
battleship Maine added to the tension and American citizens wanted
action. The war lasted only 113 days and ended with the Treaty of Paris
which gave the United States ownership of Puerto Rico, the Philippines,
and Guam. The US took control of Cuba and ultimately granted their
independence.
Company B was commanded by Vernon L. Johnson of
Bates County when it was mustered into service during the
Spanish-American War in May 1898.
During World War I, Company B was commanded by Captain Harvey C. Clark, of Butler.
They
were called ‘Hound Dawgs’ due to their habit of marching to the “Houn’
Dawg Song,” a folk song from the Ozarks and their mascot dog.
Today, the 203rd Engineer Battalion of the Missouri Army National Guard carries on the tradition. “Don’t Kick Our Dog”
